I don’t usually drink light-tasting teas, but Huang Shan Mao Feng is one of my favourites during the hot summer days. What’s really amazing about this particular tea
is that it can be steeped many times before loosing all its flavour. I remember tasting this tea for the first time back in 2011 when Teavivre was starting and Angel contacted me on Steepster and offered to send me a sample of this tea along with three others.
Since then I haven’t had any of this tea from Teavivre and I took the opportunity to get it in a limited offer in April.
Upon opening a sample bag an intensive fresh spring peas aroma was revealed and what I noticed with this tea is that it has a somewhat curly leaf shape compared to 2011 harvest which had voluminous leaves as well but more of a straight shape. As the sample contained 4gr of leaf, an exact amount for Gongfu method, I decided to steep it in gaiwan with the instructions at Teavivre’s site. I was a bit boggled by that it’s only a three steep show but I guess it’s for a reason.
Upon rinsing the leaves I savoured the fresh vegetal aroma for a while before steeping it for 30 seconds. Moments after I got a very light emerald tone liquor, which is typical for this kind of green tea. First sip revealed light but rich taste of steamed peas followed with sugary note that lingered in the throat for a while. Second sip brought out a light flowery too as well and some tingling on the tongue moments after as well.
Second infusion introduced additional note of stone fruits with moist, juicy sensation in mouth that was briefly put to an end with herbaceous finish. Very thirst quenching.
With the last infusion I noticed some dryness and general absence of vegetal element with floral component leading through with a tad of sweetness. With last, cooled sips I savored some stone fruit notes and I realized that there was no place for a fourth steep.
Very pleasing experience, I only wish it lasted a bit longer.
Flavors: Herbaceous, Peas, Stonefruit, Sweet
